Casing head equipment for pneumatic swabs



Oct. 25, 1932. N. H. RlcKx-:R

CASING HEAD EQUIPMENT FOR PNEUMATIC SWABS Filed Aug. 3l, 1931 0R/VAN H. RIC/YER INVENTOR 5 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 25,` 1932 uNijTisznv STATES *PA'rlzN'rk oFFicE NORMAN H. BICKER,

oFHoUsToN, TEXAS, AssrGNoR To HUGHES Toor. coM'PANmoF HoUsToN, TEXAS, A CORPORATION` oF TEXAS l CASING HEAD EQUIPMENT FOR PNEUMATIC SWABS kApplication led August 31, 1931. Serial No. 560,271.

The invention relates to pneumatic swabs of the character disclosed in my prior application Serial.No.4/13,013 liled April-10, 1930.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means to allow the plunger to pass upwardly beyond the outlet opening for the iluid a material distance so that the plunger may be closed off in the upper end of the tube and removed for cleaning `or replacing when f' desired. n

I desire to extend the eduction tube above the casing head and to allow fluid to escape from above the plunger in the extension so that the plunger will be held up in the eXtension. I then provide a master valve to close off the upper extension from the eduction tube so that the swab plunger can be easily removed.

My construction has the further Object of allowing attachment or detachment of various equipment above the master valve for use in well operations.

It is a further object to controlthe rate of discharge of fluid from the well so that more P eicient operation of the well may be obtained. I equip the discharge line with a choke which is adjustable for different rates of flow so that the velocity, particularly of the gas discharge, may be regulated to allow a prompt dropping of the swab when the liquid has been discharged.

I am also enabled to provide for the proper fluid pressure differential between the forma- Y tion pressure andthe pressure in the well.

In the drawing I have shown a side view partly in elevation andpartly in vertical section of a well head equipped to carry out my invention. A i

In the drawing the outer casing is shown at 1,. connected with the special casing head 2.

Said casing head has a branch pipe 3 therein at one side to allow a vent from the casing or to provide an inlet for fluid under pressure to the well. The casing head also hasy two 4 upper outlets 5 and 6. The pipe 5 is usually closed but may provide an emergency outlet for the fluid being pumped.

The outlet 6 is connected by way of a choke device to the flow line 7 through which the 5 fluid passes to storage. The choke device has a fitting or housing 8, the upstream end of which has a bushing 9 `fixed therein, said bushing having a fluid passage therethrough the outlet end of which is flared at 10I to provide a seat for a needle valve l1 tapered to fit therein. Said valve is formed on the end of a stem 12 passing through the stufing box 13 and having a handle 14 on its outer end. By means of this choke device therate of discharge of luid may beV controlled.

The eduction tube 15 from thewell has a supporting collar 16 within the casing head. Said collar has a radial flange resting upon a shoulder 17 in the casing head whereby the tube may be supported and the upper end of the casing sealed. The upper end of the collar 16 has a tapered socket into which the eduction tube extension 18 is received. .Said eXtension'is screwed through.v the upper end of a plug 19 which closes the upper end of the casing head. Thelowerend of the eX- tension is forced down into the seat in the cqupling 16 when the tube is screwed into the ug. The eduction tube extension has a master gate valve 20 therein and above the valve is a short nipple 21 into which a pipe 22 is con-V nected. At the upper end of pipe`22 is the usual shock absorber casing 23 with the rubber bumper 24 therein. Said bumper has a fluid passage communicating with the bull plug or cap 25. Said plug has a lateral valvecontrolled outlet 26 therein. The hand operated valve 27 may be opened when it is desired to allow a vent at the upper endof the eduction tube. The eduction tube'has the usual outlets 28 to allow passage-of fluid to the flow line 7.

In operating the well the plunger with its load of liquid will beblown upward todischarge the load of liquid through the outlet openings 28 and past the choke to the flow line. I regulate the choke so that the liquid and gascan pass slowly. For it is found that where the liquid is discharged quickly and the plunger passes the discharge openings with some force, it will move into the tube above the casing head and the fluid trapped above the plunger will act as a shock absorber to stop the plunger and open the valve therein allowing the plunger to drop back again; If the gas below the plunger is exhausting rapidly the plunger may be caught in the blast of gas and thrown back up with the valve open and the plunger will strike the bumper 24 like a projectile and may damage the equipment. At any rate time is lost for the plunger is delayed from dropping to the bottom to sta-rt another trip.

By choking the outlet, the discharge of the gas behind the plunger from the well vis slowed down so that when the plunger starts back down the force of the gas flow will not prevent the plunger from dropping down through it to its seat at the lower end of the well ready for a new stroke.

I am also enabled to control the pressure drop between the formation from which the production comes and the discharge outlet from the well. The gas may be thus conserved and the pneumatic swab method of operation of wells can be employed to economically operate the well where otherwise its'operation would not be profitable.

Furthermore, the extension on the tube above the casing head is detachable above the gate valve and may be long enough to receive tools such as a swab to clean paraiiin or other material from the well or to work out the head of liquid in the tube at any time. The

valve 20 may be closed while the tools are being inserted in the extension ready for use.

Also the vent may be opened when desired to allow the fluid ahead of the swab to exhaust slowly and permit the swab to pass up into the extension and the valve may then be closed to allow access to the plunger to repair the saine or remove para-ihn from the swab or in the extension.

What I claim` as new is l. A well head equipment for pneumatic swabs including a casing head, a lateral out let therefrom, means to control the rate of flow of liquid from the said outlet, an eduction tube extending through said casing and having a fluid tight fit with the upper end thereof, discharge outlets from said tube to said casing head, and means to provide a vent from said eduction tube above said casing `head.

swabs including a casing head, a lateral discharge pipe thereon, an eduction tube eX- tending from the well upwardly through said casing head and projecting above the same, said tube having discharge openings into said casing head, and a choke device in said dis-l charge pipe to regulate the flow of Huid from said casing head.

4. A well head equipment for pneumatic swabs including a casing head, a. lateral discharge pipe thereon, an eduction tube eX- tending from the well upwardly through said casing head and projecting above the same, said tube having discharge openings into said casing head, and a choke device in said discharge pipe to regulate the flow of Huid from said casing head, the upper end of said eduction being normally closed and a manually controlled vent at the upper end of said tube.

5. A well head equipment for pneumaticswabs including a casing head, a lateral discharge pipe thereon, an eduction tube eXtend-- ing from the well upwardly through said casing head and projecting above the saine, said tube having discharge openings into said casing head, and choke device in said discharge pipe to regulate the flow oi fluid from said casing head, a gate valve in said tube above said casing head and a detachable tube extension above said valve.

6. A casing head, a lateral tlow line thereon, an eduction tube extending from the well upwardly through said casing and having discharge outlets into said casing head, a normally open gate valve above said casing head in said tube, an extension above said valve, and a plug closing the upper end of said tube.

7. A casing head, a lateral flow line thereon, an eduction tube extending from the well upwardly through said casing and having` discharge outlets into said casing head, a normally open gate valve above said casing head in said tube, an extension above said valve, a shock absorber in said extension and a manually operated vent in the upper end of said tube.

8. In a well head equipment, a casing head having fluid discharge lines connected therewith, an eduction tube extending upwardly through said casing head, a detachable section on said tube, and means to close oii said tube below said section.

9. In a well head equipment, a casing head having fluid discharge lines connected therewith, an eduction tube extending upwardly through saidcasing head, a vdetachable section on said tube, a vent at the upper end of said tube and means to close ofi' the tube below said vent when desired.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto my signature this the 15th day of August, A. D. 1931.

NORMAN II. RICKEB. 

